Our linebacking crew — Milton’s Dino Georgakis, Middlebury’s Steel White and U-32’s Jesse Burke — were leaders and playmakers who could make the necessary last-second adjustments to a scheme.

Our defensive line is the imposing group of CVU’s Cam Fitzgerald, Middlebury’s Patrick Fifield, Hartford’s Jake St. Sauveur and BFA-St. Albans’ Ben Thieken. This quartet can control the line of scrimmage, rush the quarterback and hold down a running attack.

Pit this defensive group against any offense. They’re up to the challenge.

The first team

Troy Davine

Rutland Senior back 6-foot-3, 175 pounds

* The Player: Davine has the speed, quickness and jumping ability to quiet other team’s passing attacks. He was a three-year starter for the Raiders and a coaches’ first-team all-star. Also a premiere quarterback, Davine tossed 1,759 yards and 21 touchdowns. He’s also a standout on the Raiders’ basketball team and is talented enough to play either sport at the next level.

* Coach Mike Norman on Davine: “Matched him up with other team’s top receivers. He’s one of the best high school athletes in the state.”

Isaac Delabruere

Colchester Senior back 5-foot-9, 172 pounds

* The Player: Like many of our defensive players, athleticism stands out as Delabruere’s best trait. He can run, jump and play physically with any player in the state. Also a two-time state javelin champion in track and field, Delabruere was part of Colchester’s 2009 championship run. While the Lakers missed the playoffs this season, Delabruere still shined, snagging four interceptions and playing a key offensive role as one of the team’s top receivers.

* Coach Tom Perry on Delabruere: “He was definitely a coach on the field for us, communicating with other players. He was a three-year starter and one of leading tacklers.”

Nicky Elderton

Rice Memorial Senior back 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

* The Player: As impressive as he was as a receiver, Elderton was just as valuable on the defensive side. He snared six interceptions and thwarted dozens of other passing attempts, his performances playing a big part in the Green Knights capturing the Division II championship. He returned one interception for a touchdown and contributed another score after recovering a fumble.

* Coach Neil Brodeur on Elderton: “He’s an imposing figure. He’s not your typical safety and he likes to hit. He provides great support in stopping the run.”

Konnor Fleming

Champlain Valley Senior back 5-foot-10, 185 pounds

* The Player: The team’s offensive leader as quarterback, Fleming’s play in the secondary is the reason he makes our first team defense for the second straight year. A tremendous athlete, Fleming helped CVU post back-to-back shutouts in the final two games of the regular season before an knee injury on the second play of the semifinal loss to Rice curtailed his season. Fleming had 911 passing yards and 621 rushing yards with 14 total touchdowns on the year.

* Coach Jim Provost on Fleming: “What gets lost is he plays both sides of the ball and he’s excellent on both. He’s so fundamentally sound and is a great tackler.”

Ryan Hayward

Bellows Falls Senior returner 5-foot-10, 165 pounds

* The Player: The second-leading rusher in school history, Hayward makes our team because of his elusiveness as a kick returner. He finished the season with 1,1,36 return yards, which included a 92-yard return in his four-touchdown, MVP-type performance during Bellows Falls’ Division III title-game victory. For the season, Hayward ran for 1,460 yards and 18 touchdowns. It was a noticeable increase from his junior season.

* Coach Bob Lockerby on Hayward: “He was our bread-and-butter runner. He shouldered the offense and made things happen all season. He’s a vocal leader and also hard-working — never missed a practice.”

Patrick Fifield

Middlebury Senior lineman 6-foot-1, 180 pounds

* The Player: The only captain on Middlebury’s stout, defensive-minded team, Fifield’s skill set and hard-working attitude stood out. A sturdy defensive player whether he was in the middle of the line or on the end, Fifield disrupted opposing teams’ offenses in pass and run formations. He was a three-year starter who was willing to play every down and every minute during a perfect regular season that ended with a loss to Rice in the Division II title game.

* Coach Dennis Smith on Fifield: “He had an outstanding work ethic and he was a leader. He was very versatile. He never came off the field, just a tough kid.”

Cam Fitzgerald

Champlain Valley Senior lineman 6-foot-2, 265 pounds

* The Player: An imposing player in the middle of CVU’s line, Fitzgerald clogged up the opposing team’s running lanes, helping the Redhawks to a second straight playoff berth. He was an opportunistic player as well, collecting three defensive touchdowns. Although he never played tight end, the coaching staff thought Fitzgerald could have played that position, too. Instead, Fitzgerald’s second role was team punter — and a very good one at that. Fitzgerald played in the North-South game.

* Coach Jim Provost on Fitzgerald: “He had a knack for being in the right place at the right time. But Cam made his own luck. He was as good a run stopper as a pass rusher. A valuable kid.”

Jake St. Sauveur

Hartford Senior lineman 6-foot-1, 180 pound

* The Player: While St. Sauveur’s chief assignment was to rush the quarterback — something he did with tenacity and power — the senior defensive end had a complete, all-around game. He played well against the run, could knock down screen passes and play the outside linebacker position. A three-year starter, St. Sauveur was an integral part of Division I championship victories this year and in 2008. He also covered plenty of ground with a non-stop motor.

* Coach Mike Stone on St. Sauveur: “He’s a great player and has a good feel for the game. He played several positions for us.”

Ben Thieken

BFA-St. Albans Junior lineman 6-foot-2, 220 pounds

* The Player: Essex coach Charlie Burnett said Thieken was “a nightmare to deal with” and was the best defensive end in the state. High praise for Thieken, who overcame an injury-riddled 2009 season to flourish in BFA-St. Albans’ aggressive and physical defense that allowed seven or fewer points in six of 11 games this season. A player with great footwork, Thieken drew double-teams throughout the season yet was still a force.

* Coach Geoff Murray: “He was just one of the anchors of our defense that was pretty good all year long. He’s athletic as any linebacker you’ll see. He’s got size and strength.”

Jesse Burke

U-32 Senior linebacker 5-foot-9, 170 pounds

* The Player: One of the Free Press’ second-team defenders last season, Burke overcame his lack of size with aggressiveness and toughness. Averaging 10-plus tackles a game, he led the team for a second straight year. He was also named the Times Argus player of the year and was one of the team’s leading offensive players with over 1,000 yards. As a linebacker, Burke excelled at getting through holes to make a play.

* Coach Mike Law on Burke: “For his size, he’s as good or better than many at his position. Athletically, he could do a lot of things, and I swear he doesn’t feel pain. He never asked to come off the field.”

Dino Georgakis

Milton Senior linebacker 6-foot, 215 pounds

* The Player: A maniacal student of the game and a slave to preparation and film study, Georgakis has the ability to defuse other teams’ offensive plays by anticipating their path. He makes up for what he lacks in speed with keen instincts and awareness. Tackling and competitive drive are his other strong suits. A captain and leader of the Yellowjackets, Georgakis is weighing scholarship offers and will play football in college.

* Coach Chris Hughes on Georgakis: “I’ve been at Milton since 1992 and he is head and shoulders one of the best football players we’ve had. He watches so much film and studies scouting reports; makes plays you wouldn’t think he would. Preparation is what sets him apart.”

Steel White

Middlebury Junior linebacker 6-foot-2, 200 pounds

* The Player: An imposing presence in the linebacker and fullback positions, White’s defensive fortitude was unmatched during Middlebury’s standout campaign. White could run sideline to sideline with the best and stop the run, but his best attribute came as the team’s defensive quarterback. He was in charge of calling plays or making last-second adjustments.

* Coach Dennis Smith on White: “His leadership and just his overall athleticism — he was just a hard-working kid. He could take the scouting report and put it to good use. I could see it happening last year and now he’s picked it up more and more.”